


Lost, But Never Forgotten

by Just_a_simple_trash_can



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Amnesia, Anastasia AU, Angst, Blood and Violence, Fluff, M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-04-27 16:43:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14429853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_a_simple_trash_can/pseuds/Just_a_simple_trash_can
Summary: Anastasia AU: After the Regent of Vere kills his brother in an act of revenge, Prince Auguste and his brother run to the safety of their neighboring country, where they hope to find safety. As they begin to leave their crumbling country, the brothers get separated, leaving Laurent to fend for himself in the shell of Vere with no memory of who he once was.With the help of a too kind man by the name of Damen, Laurent will travel to Patras, in hopes of being reunited with his family.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have wanted to write this AU for months and have finally been able to type it out. I will try to update as often as I can. I have the entire fic planned out so there should not be long pauses between updates. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr at just-a-simple-trash-can

The band played a romantic Veretian song as lovers danced along the ballroom floor. The people of Vere danced and ate and drank and sang, all to give the crown prince a proper send off. In a week, Prince Auguste would be traveling to Patras to begin their alliance with Vere. He would be marrying the King’s oldest daughter, who he had only spoken to through letters. King Aleron wanted to give his son a proper goodbye, for no one knew when the crown prince would be returning.

Candlelight lit the room with a soft, warm glow. Prince Laurent, a boy only ten years young, danced with mother as she gently sung along to the music. He smiled up at her, blue eyes shining in the lights. Hennike took her son in her arms and kissed his cheek, holding him close as she continued to sing. Aleron walked over to his wife and son and ruffled Laurent’s hair, taking his wife into his arms.

“Why don’t you go see your brother?” he said, kissing Hennike’s cheek. “He has a gift for you.” Laurent nodded and ran over to the throne where he jumped into Auguste’s arms. Auguste held him close and sat back down in the throne, sitting Laurent in his lap.

“I have something for you to remember me by,” he whispered, reaching into his pocket.

“Do you have to go to Patras?” Laurent whined, burying his face in his brother’s shoulder. “I want to go with you.”

“Look at me, little rabbit.” The young prince looked up at Auguste who gently cupped his cheek and smiled down at him. “I need you to stay here in my place to watch over Vere and keep her safe. It will be your duty to make sure that peace remains in the kingdom. Can you do that for me?”

“I think so.” Auguste pressed something into Laurent’s smaller hand.

“I want you to have this.” It was Auguste’s pocket watch. He never let it leave his side. “To count the hours until you see me again.” Laurent held it close to his heart and, wrapping his free arm around Auguste’s neck.

“I’m going to miss you.” Auguste hugged him back, kissing the top of his head.

“I’m going to miss you too, little brother, but don’t worry.” The crown prince lifted his brother’s head and smiled. “When I come back, I’ll have a niece or nephew for you to meet. And I promise that I’ll write to you everyday.” Auguste lifted his necklace from around his neck and let it fall around Laurent’s. It was his sapphire; the one that had been given to him at birth. “And this, my little rabbit, will keep you safe when I cannot. If you’re ever scared or alone, just look down at this jewel and remember that I will always protect you.” He carefully brushed Laurent’s bangs out of his face and smiled. 

“I want to give you something too.” The prince climbed off of his brother’s lap and ran to his room, Auguste laughing as he did. He dug through his most treasured belongings until he pulled out a scarf that had been given to him. It was a pale blue knitted with gold thread and made with a soft material. It had been a gift from the country’s most famous cloth merchant to welcome the second prince into the world. The royal family’s crested was stitched into each side. Above the crest was Laurent’s initials. He bundled the cloth in his arms and ran back to the ballroom, almost running into several servants as he ran by. Women giggled as he passed, whispering about the young prince and his antics. Laurent climbed back into his brother’s lap and wrapped the scarf around Auguste’s neck. Auguste traced the stitching with his fingers, his eyes wide open. “Now you won’t forget about me.”

“Oh, Laurent, I would never-” The crown prince was cut off by the band stopping the music and the candlelight going out without warning, as if a windstorm had seeked shelter in the ballroom. The bright, warm energy that had been in the room was gone, being replaced with a cold fear. Auguste wrapped one arm around around Laurent as he stood and gripped the hilt of his sword, prepared for an attack. Laurent dug his nails into the laces of Auguste’s vest, sneaking glances when he could. Auguste pressed Laurent’s face into his shoulder to keep him from seeing what was happening.

The wide ballroom doors swung open, sending a cold gust of wind into the room. Auguste held onto Laurent tighter, prepared to take his brother and run if needed. Heavy footsteps filled the ears of everyone in the room, causing everyone, save for the king and his soldiers, to shrink back in fear.

“Brother,” an ice cold voice called out. “Such festivities that I was not invited to. Am I not allowed to see my nephew off before he travels to Patras?”

“Reymond,” Aleron said, his voice tight and commanding. He gripped his sword like Auguste had been doing, prepared to use it if necessary. “You were banished from this land long ago.”

“I am your brother, Aleron, and I will not be treated this way.”

“Then you leave me no choice. Guards! Arrest-” Before Aleron could finish, Reymond thrusted his hand forward, sending a large ball of fire towards the wall and setting one of the banners ablaze.

“You were always father’s favorite. You were always going to be king. That will be no more. I will no longer be made a fool of by the likes of you. Say goodbye to your kingdom, brother, because this will be the last time you see it in peace and prosperity. I will not rest until the entire royal family is dead!” The windows in the room shattered as he yelled. Auguste covered Laurent’s body with his own. Reymond let out a laugh at the Veretians cowering before him before turning on his heel and walking out of the room, filling the room with silence. There was still a faint smell of smoke from the banner where embers were still falling to the floor.

“Your Majesty!” The captain of the royal guard yelled. “Should we go after him?”

“No,” Aleron said with a shake of his head. “Take my sons to their rooms. Auguste, we will wait to send you off. I don’t want to risk your life.”

“Of course, father,” Auguste answered. He picked up Laurent, who was still clinging onto him. “I’m going to take Laurent to bed.” 

Whispers spread though the streets of Vere about the Regent’s threat. Aleron had his guards on constant alert should his brother make an appearance himself. Auguste stayed by Laurent’s side as much as he could to keep him safe. If Auguste couldn’t watch over him, two guards were put outside of Laurent’s room until he could return. 

The royal family feared their fate. It had been five years since the king’s brother had been banished. Aleron had always trusted his younger brother, but when he had learned about Reymond’s involvement in the dark arts, he had no choice. During a council meeting, Reymond had suggested cursing the king of Akielos with a deadly illness and Aleron banished him to Vask with an order never to return to Vere again. He hoped that his brother would stay in Vask, but there was always something that told him that his brother would return. And now that he had, Aleron feared for the lives of his wife and sons.

The uprising happened before the royal family could prepare to escape. Soldiers were slaughtered by the townspeople and the doors to the palace were broken down. Rooms were set ablaze and King Aleron was decapitated only moments before his wife shared his fate. Laurent ran to his rooms as servants pushed past each other to escape the fire and the slaughtering. Yells from the rioting townspeople could faintly be heard as they echoed through the halls. The prince ran into his rooms and dug through his drawers until he found Auguste’s necklace and pocketwatch. Auguste ran in just as he shoved the watch into his pocket.

“Laurent, we have to go now!” Auguste picked up his brother and began running through the halls, shielding Laurent’s eyes from the destruction that surrounded them.

“Your Highness!” the captain yelled. “Over here!” A loud scream of pain soon followed. Laurent buried his face in the scarf around Auguste’s neck. Auguste continued running, slamming his shoulder against a door to open it. The cold hit Laurent before he could prepare for it. He shivered, causing Auguste to pull him closer as he ran. They reached an icy path, the only safe way to escape if they wanted to survive. Auguste suddenly fell, sending both of the brothers to the icy floor. Their uncle stood above them, his bloodied sword dripping crimson onto the ice and snow. Laurent looked over to his brother who was gripping his side. His vest was stained with blood.

“Did you two really believe that you were going to get away?” Their uncle laughed and pointed his sword in Laurent’s direction. “Perhaps I should kill the younger prince first and see what the crown prince does.” As the Regent pulled his weapon back, he let out a cry of his own before falling to his knees. The captain of the guard stood above him, one eye squeezed shut and bleeding.

“Your Highness,” Jord said, helping Auguste to his feet before bowing lightly. “Are you alright?”

“I should ask the same of you,” Auguste responded, picking Laurent back up. “We need to get to Patras. Hurry.” The three of them ran to the train station, immediately finding themselves in a crowd of people trying to escape themselves.Veretians pushed past them without realizing who they were. The last train to Patras was leaving, causing them to quicken their pace. Jord jumped onto the back of the train, reaching out to Auguste. The crown prince grabbed his hand and started to pull himself up, holding Laurent close to chest. Someone roughly shoved Auguste, causing his grip on Laurent to loosen. Before the prince could grab him, Laurent had fallen to the platform below. His head connected with the base of a nearby lamp. He could faintly hear Auguste call his name as he fainted, Veretians still trampling each other above him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s where the story begins. Hope you enjoy!

Damen pulled his satchel over his shoulder and started shoving what little belongings he owned into a bag made of hide. It hadn't been his best purchase, but under the circumstances, he didn’t have much of a choice. Things had changed so quickly, all because of Kastor. His father was dead, his fiancee had betrayed him, and Kastor had banished him from Akielos while the Akielons believed that Damen had died with his father. Betrayal hurt far more than he could have ever imagined. 

Everything had started with the letter King Theomedes had received from Prince Auguste of Vere. He was told of the Regent’s threats, the rebellion of his kingdom, and the murder of his father. The prince himself would be staying in Patras, fearing that he would be killed upon his return to Vere. It had only been three days later that Theomedes was found dead in his chambers. Damen wanted to believe that it had been an assassin, but Nikandros knew who had done it and he had tried to warn his prince. Damen hadn’t believed his childhood friend and that, perhaps, may have lead to his downfall. Only a week after his father passed, Damen had been surrounded by his guards and locked in chains. Kastor stood above him, wearing the king’s pin and keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. He said that Damen was lucky Kastor had decided to spare him. The crown prince protested, talking about their childhood, reminding his brother who he was. Jokaste stood only a few feet away from them, refusing to acknowledge the situation. Damen begged for her to help him, to stop Kastor. She simply shook her head and walked away.

When the soldiers had taken him outside, he found Nikandros already in the caravan. He had taken down three guards in an attempt to save Damen. The crown prince was thrown into the wagon and taken to Delfeur, where they were left with no food, gold, or horses. They would have died if not for the family they had meet traveling through Arran. 

Èmelia, the wife of a baker, had found them wandering through the snow in chitons and invited the Akelions into her home, treating them like family. They stayed for a week, telling their story of their banishment and their plan to travel to Vere. That is where they heard the stories of how the rebellion had destroyed Vere. With no king to rule, the Veretian council took control and ruled over the country. The men and women that had been involved in the murders of King Aleron and Queen Hennike and the destruction of the castle were executed. Half of the royal guard had been murdered and as a result, the council feared that Akielos would take advantage of their weakness. Vere had no king and no army to protect her; they were an easy target to attack and conquer. But no war ever came. Vere had become an empty shell of its previous self, but Damen could bring it back to prosperity. He just needed to find the young prince of Vere.

In a desperate attempt, the crown prince of Vere had offered a fortune to anyone who could bring his brother back to him. Rumors had spread through Arles about the possibility that the young prince was alive, sending desperate people to searching every part of the country in hope of finding Prince Laurent. Damen did not care about the fortune; he just wanted his throne back. That was how he came to arrive at Arles. Nikandros and himself traveled to the Veretian capital, knowing that it was their best chance to find the young prince. It had been ten years since the rebellion, but Damen had high hopes that he would be able to reunite the brothers. In lue of the reward, the crown prince of Akielos would ask for Prince Auguste to return to his kingdom and help Damen take back his throne. Kastor had banished him from his own home and had taken control as king. In the ten years that Damen has been gone, there was no telling what Kastor had done to Akielos. As the bastard child, he couldn’t be king, which was why Damen had been chosen to rule over Akielos when he came of age. Kastor had taken the throne out of pure hatred for his brother and he was most likely destroying his own country. And yet, Damen still couldn’t bring himself to hate Kastor.

Nikandros walked into the attic that they had been living in just as Damen finished packing their belongings. In his hand, he held three tickets as well as their forged papers.

“Participants will arrive at the theater tonight,” he said, taking one of the bags from his prince’s hands. “After that, we move to the palace and and take what is left from inside. It will not be a short journey to Patras.”

“Do not worry, my friend,” Damen smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. “We have gone over this plan a hundred times. There is no way we can fail.”

“You say that now, but what if we are unable to find someone that looks like the prince?”

“Lighten up, would you?” Damen opened the door and walked down the stairs, Nikandros on his heels. “This is Vere and I was a prince. You and I both know everything there is to know about Vere. We just need to find some young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. Worry not, Nikandros. This plan cannot fail.”

“You are a prince.” Damen closed his eyes and sighed.

“Not in the eyes of my kingdom.” Nikandros gripped his prince’s shoulder tightly.

“We find an actor, we teach him how to act as a prince, we get the crown prince’s alliance. I will see to it that you get your throne back.” Damen clapped his shoulder.

“Thank you, my friend. I don’t know what I would do without you. Now, to the theater.”  
***  
Lou walked out into the snow, wrapping his scarf tighter around his neck. A cold breeze hit his face as he buttoned his jacket. His pale cheeks were red from the cold in a manner of seconds. It was far too cold to be traveling alone, but Lou didn’t have much of a choice. The capital wasn’t a great deal away. Lou just had to keep moving to avoid freezing.

Paschal walked out of the small house, gripping onto his own jacket as he rushed to Lou’s side.

“You can stay, Lou,” the physician said, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “This has been your home for ten years. There is no reason for you to go anywhere. You can stay here.” 

“I have to leave.” He pulled out the sapphire hanging around his neck. He ran his thumb over it, closing his eyes gently. “Someone gave this to me. I have family somewhere out there. I have to find them, wherever they are.”

“Vere is too large for you to travel alone. You have no memories, Lou. You have no idea where to go or where to begin.”

“Patras. I know I have to begin there. It just…” Lou looked down the road, drifting off. “I know that there is someone in Patras waiting for me. I just have to find them.”

“That is just a feeling, Lou. You are risking your life to follow a whim.”

“I have to. I cannot rely on you forever, Paschal. My destiny is waiting for me. I have to follow it.” Paschal sighed behind him, removing his glasses to clean them.

“I know I cannot make you stay.” He held out a satchel to Lou. “Take this with you. Just in case something happens. We both know your tongue isn’t sharp enough to talk your way out when there is a sword at your throat.” There was food, bread and meats and cheeses, enough to last Lou maybe two days, and two jars wrapped in bandages. “Use the salve for serious injuries. I cannot promise that the wound will heal, but it will prevent infection.” 

“Thank you, Paschal. For all that you’ve done for me.” Lou pulled the satchel over his shoulder, securing it to his other bag. “We will see each other again.”

“I hope that we do. Safe travels, my boy.” Lou nodded before turning on his heel and walking down the road. The snow crunched beneath his feet as he tried to stay warm. Varenne had always been unreasonably cold. There was always a snow storm or a sudden drop in temperature, which was always a nuisance for Paschal who had ingredients that didn’t grow in the cold. Lou realized that Paschal had never really told him why he lived away from the capital. He had never been one for conversation of talking about the past, so Lou could only assume that there was a reason for it.

He reached a fork in the road where a broken sign hung from a single chain, creaking lightly in the wind. Half of it was buried in the snow and had been for a long while if the damage to the wood was anything to go by. Lou pulled the aged wood from the ground and brushed the snow from it. Belloy and Arles were to Lou’s right, possibly miles down and without a map, he wasn’t even sure he would get to the capital before nightfall. He had to try, though. It was too late for him to turn back. Lou reached into his pocket and pulled out the watch that lay inside. It had broken long ago and there was a long crack across the glass that had been there for as long as Lou could remember. He didn’t know why he still had it, but according Paschal, Lou was holding onto it when the physician had found him. Clearly it was important to him.

Lou was pulled out of his thoughts by a noise coming from a nearby bush. The leaves shook as something moved inside of it. Lou took a few hesitant steps back before the creature showed itself to him. It was a cat, a young one, no more than a few weeks old. It looked up at Lou and let out a small meow, clearly cold and hungry. Lou picked up the small cat and ran his gloved hand over it. 

“What are you doing all the way out here?” Lou mumbled to himself. He removed his scarf and wrapped it around the animal. After brushing the snow away from a nearby rock, he sat down and pulled a few pieces of meat and cheese out of the satchel and carefully fed it to the weak cat. As it ate, Lou looked closely at him. He was gray with dark green eyes and skinny enough that Lou could feel his bones as he ran his fingers down his body. “Might as well keep you with me. It wouldn’t be horrible to have some company.” Lou scratched behind his ear with a small smile on his lips. After letting him finish his small meal, Lou bundled the cat back in the scarf and held him close to his chest. “How does the name Charles sound? It seems to fit you. All gray like an old man.” Lou sighed and shook his head. “I’m talking to a cat.” He pulled the satchel back over his shoulder and continued walking, holding Charles close to his chest. At least he wouldn’t be on this adventure alone.  
***  
Nikandros let out a sigh as Damen closed the door to the theater.

“That was a waste of our time.” Damen was inclined to agree. Twenty people had shown up to act as Prince Laurent, but none of them fit the description. Half of them weren’t even blonde. The rest didn’t have the right shape or height or appearance of a lost prince. 

“He’s here somewhere,” Damen sighed. “I know he is. We’ll find him. We haven’t looked through all of Arles yet.”

“The only hope that we have to convince the crown prince is to bring Prince Laurent himself.”

“Prince Laurent hasn’t made an appearance for a reason. He’s probably somewhere far away with a new identity, living a new life. He’s scared of the rumors that the Regent of Vere will return. Wouldn’t you hide too?” Nikandros didn’t answer. “Let’s go to the palace. We’ll spend the night there and try again tomorrow.

“What do we do if we can’t find someone?” Damen stopped and thought about his friend’s words.

“Then I go to the crown prince myself. I’ll do whatever it takes to speak to him.” As they walked down the street towards the abandoned palace, Damen bumped into someone who had his face hidden and was carrying something in his arms. He turned to face the crown prince and Damen felt frozen under ice blue eyes. The stranger turned away from him and walked over to a newspaper stand. Damen stood there, confused, before shaking his head and following Nikandros to the palace.  
***  
“No identification, no ticket,” Lou mimicked with a hiss to his voice. It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t remember who he was. Why would he have identification if he didn’t even have any memories? It didn’t matter what Lou did; if he couldn’t prove who he was, he couldn’t leave Arles. He knew almost nothing about himself. Lou had just been a name that Paschal had given to him. The only thing that Lou did know was that he still had family somewhere. When Paschal had first met him, Lou was disoriented and all he could say was ‘Patras’. After Paschal had laid him in front of the fire and given him some medicine, he was more awake and alert of his surroundings. Since then, Patras had always meant something to Lou.

A women had pulled Lou aside after his request for a ticket had been rejected and told him about a man by the name of Damen, who knew how to charm his way into getting what he wanted. Information, work, tickets. He always stayed in the center of the capital, but he constantly moved place to place to keep himself from getting caught. The woman suggested that Lou search around the old palace. That seemed to be the one place people had seen Damen staying in. It was a risk, but if Lou could convince this Damen to get him a ticket, he would be on his way to Patras. Lou didn’t have much of a choice. He walked to the old palace.

Lou had never seen a sadder sight. The palace must have been beautiful before the revolution. Now it was nothing more than a shell of its former self. Doors and windows were boarded up and the windows that weren’t boarded up were shattered. There were scorch marks on the outer walls where people had attempted to set it ablaze. Lou walked over to one of the windows and broke it the rest of way before climbing in. 

“This is it,” Lou mumbled to himself. “Now we find Damen.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long to come out; I just had trouble figuring out what route to take with it. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. Hope you enjoy!

“Hello?” Lou called out as he crossed the ballroom. Silence followed. He let out a small hum and ran his hand along one of the walls. They were singed and black from being burned. Charles stayed by his feet, biting at the laces on Lou’s shoes when they bounced in his face. Lou’s footsteps echoed through the room as he walked across the ballroom floor. It felt familiar to Lou somehow. The painting on the ceiling, the stained glass on the window, there was a sense of familiarity to it. He could even faintly hear music from a time long forgotten. He knew where he was despite not remembering ever being there. Just like the outside, the ballroom had once been beautiful. Lou could almost hear the sounds of laughter and partying. He was lost in the memory until he tripped over a rug that was stained from a strange dark substance. He quickly collected himself and walked to the other side of the room.

 

Charles jumped onto a nearby piano that had sat there for more than a long while. He rolled across it, making his fur dirty as he wiped away a thick layer of dust. He sneezed and started to clean himself, causing him to sneeze more. Lou smiled and brushed as much dirt off of him as he could before running his fingers over the piano keys. It was long broken and Lou didn’t know enough to fix it, but it was still nice to look at. It was the only thing in the entire room that wasn’t damaged.

 

He walked towards the staircase with Charles rubbing against his leg every so often. Carefully walking up the steps, Lou looked up at a portrait that hung on the wall behind the thrones. There were four people in the painting and just as Lou tried to get a better look, the wood broke under him, causing him to fall through the floor. 

  
“Come on,” he hissed out, trying to pull out his leg. His boots were thick enough that the splintered wood didn’t injure him, but his foot was trapped under a large plank of wood.    
  
“Hey!” a voice called out. “Who are you?!” Lou turned his head and saw two men running down the staircase by the entrance to the ballroom. Lou quickly pulled his leg out of the wood and ran. “Wait!” He stood behind the throne and looked at the two men as they slowed. “We mean you no harm.”   
  
“Of course not.” Lou stood up straight. “Are you Damen?”   
  
“That depends on who’s asking.”    
  
“I need to get to Patras. I heard that you’re the man who can help me.” The man he was talking to was no longer facing him. He was staring at the portrait next to Lou.    
  


“Nik,” the man who has spoken said. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” 

 

“I’m seeing someone with blonde hair,” the other man answered. “Damen, don’t even think about it. You are not doing this again.”

 

“That’s not what I mean.” He turned towards Lou. “We’ve met before. I’ve seen you before. I recognize your eyes. What’s your name?” Lou raised an eyebrow.    
  
“Do you make a habit of picking up blondes?” Lou asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He shook his head and sighed. “Answer my question.” Lou did recognize him. He was the same man Lou had run into after he left the train station.

 

“I am Damen. What do you need help with?” Lou looked closely at Damen. He wore Veretian clothing and had a hint of an accent to his voice. His hair was a dark mess of curls and his smile was far too big. He was handsome, too, and held himself higher than a normal commoner would. Lou made a note of it as he tried to come up with a proper answer.

 

“I need a ticket out of Vere,” he said after a moment. “I’m looking for my family and I think they might be in Patras. Can you help me or not?”

 

“What’s your name?”

 

“Lou.”

 

“Lou?”

 

“It’s the only name I’ve ever known. I don’t remember anything from my past.” Both men then looked at Lou in confusion.

 

“You don’t remember anything?” Lou shook his head.

 

“I was in an accident when I was a child. I was found wandering around Arles with a head injury, mumbling about Patras. Now I’m looking for my family. Can you help me or not?” Damen stayed silent, looking up at the portrait. The man next to him looked at it as well and whispered something to Damen. The two men looked at each other and nodded before Damen turned back to Lou.

 

“Has anyone ever told you that you look like the lost prince of Vere?” Lou’s eyes widened and he stared at Damen with his mouth agape.

 

“Excuse me?” Damen smiled at him and wrapped an arm around Lou’s shoulders, walking them over to the portrait. Lou wouldn’t admit that he liked how warm Damen was and how he wouldn’t mind Damen’s arm staying where it was.

 

“Prince Laurent of Vere went missing about ten years ago. He was around ten years young himself and you’re what? About twenty? The timeline checks out. You also don’t remember your past so who’s to say that you’re not Prince Laurent.” Lou looked up at the portrait. 

 

“Maybe…” he whispered before shaking his head. “You’re trying to tell me that I’m some sort of lost prince. If that isn’t the most ridiculous- I knew this was a bad idea. I’m leaving.” Damen grabbed his arm before he could walk away. Lou ripped his arm away and turned to face him. Damen backed away and held his arms behind his back.

 

“Nikandros and I are going to Patras. We could bring you with us.” Lou’s gaze softened lightly. “I just need you to hear me out.” Lou chewed on the inside of his cheek. He’d come this far. Might as well hear what Damen’s plan was. 

 

“Okay. I’ll hear you out.”

 

“You look like you could be a member of the royal family. You can’t look at that portrait and tell me otherwise. The oldest son is the only known living member of the family and he’s looking for his brother. He’s in living in Patras right now. You could come with us and we can see if maybe-”

 

“If it’s possible that I’m actually royalty.”

 

“If you’re not, you’re still in Patras and you could find your family. It’s worth a shot. What do you have to lose?” Lou looked at the floor and took a small breath. Looking back up at the portrait, he considered his options. He could go with Damen and Nik and pretend to be royalty or he could try to find another way to get a ticket to Patras. He shuddered at the thought at what he might have to do. Still, he didn’t know who Damen was. From what he understood, Damen was nothing more than a con artist. What if he was lying and going with him got Lou killed? But on the other hand, Lou had come so far. Would he really stop when he was so close just because he was afraid? Damen was right. What did he have to lose?

 

“Say I agreed to your plan,” Lou started, picking Charles up and scratching his head. “Say I have to play the part of a member of the royal family. What do you two know about being royalty?” The two men looked at each other nervously. Nik coughed and straighten himself.

 

“We were both soldiers in Akielos,” Nik explained.

 

“Then why are the two of you con artists in Vere?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Damen interrupted. “But I promise, we can turn you into the perfect prince.” He held out his hand to Lou. “Do we have a deal?”

 

“I...I’m not so sure. I don’t know if I can trust the two of you and I don’t like the idea of committing treason by lying to the royal family. I wish the best of luck to the two of you.”

 

“Well, if you decide that you want to join us, come back here tomorrow morning before dawn.” Lou turned on his heel and walked back to the foyer. He braced his hand on one of the boards covering the window he had climbed in through and stopped. He took a moment to get his bearings before shaking his head and climbing out the window.

***

“Your Grace, the brothers, your nephews, they live.” Reymond let out a loud yell and shattered every window and glass around him. The room slowly got darker and colder as the minions of the sorcerer slipped out of the darkness where they hid. Govart stood at the entrance of the lair, doing his best not to show his fear to the demons that began to surround him. He was as much of a brute as ever, but he remained loyal to his master.

 

“How?!” Reymond yelled. “Always with those two! Vere’s dear crown prince always did everything to protect his little brother. Where are they?”

 

“The crown prince is in Patras. The younger one was given the offer to join two con artists to travel to Patras, but I don’t believe that he's going to accept the offer.”

 

“Oh, he will. Laurent would do anything to find his big brother. The little miscreant could never fight for himself.”

 

“He doesn’t remember anything. He has no memories of who he used to be.”

 

“Is that so…” Reymond hummed, tapping his fingers on the table.

 

“What should we do, my Lord?” Reymond sat in silence before waving Govart over. 

 

“Come here, my boy.” Govart walked over to the table and stood by his master, prepared for an order. Reymond picked up a knife from the table and raised it, bringing it down onto Govart’s face and piercing his subordinate's forehead with it. He dragged the blade down Govart’s eye and stopped when the blade reached his jaw bone. Govart screamed, collapsing onto the ground, holding his bleeding eye. “Get up. With my help, you’ll be twice the man you were before.” Reymond snorted. “Not that you were much to begin with. Minion!” One of the demons few over and entered Govart’s body through his injury. Govart stopped screaming and stood straight up, his injured eye now completely black. Reymond looked him over and nodded. “My youngest nephew will be travelling to Patras. Find him and bring him to me. Kill the con artists he’s with if you must. I will handle the crown prince myself. Now go. Bring Laurent to me alive.” Govart, or what remained of him, nodded before grabbing his sword and leading a large group of demons out of the lair. Reymond stabbed the table with his knife and growled. “I will  _ not _ be bested by two children. Heed my warnings, nephews. You won’t live to see each other again.

***

Lou sat in an abandoned house, curling up with Charles to keep warm. He was tired; with no money, he couldn’t pay to stay in an inn, leaving him trapped in the cold, unable to sleep. He shivered and pressed his face into Charles’ fur. The cat let out a small cry and shivered against him. He swore and sat up, taking Charles with him. He climbed back out the window and headed back to the palace. Running through the snow with a cat and two satchels wasn’t the easiest thing he had ever done, but he had no other choice. 

 

He arrived at the palace just as Damen and Nik were walking away.

 

“Damen!” he yelled, out of breath. The taller of the two men turned and smiled at the sight of Lou.

 

“You came,” he smiled, taking one of the satchels Lou handed to him. “And you look terrible.”

 

“You’re a real charmer,” Lou hissed. “I couldn’t sleep last night. It was too cold.”

 

“Could you have stayed in an…” Damen drifted off at the sight of Lou’s glare. “Right. No identification, no money.”

 

“And no other choice but to risk my life to travel to Patras. 

 

“Welcome aboard, Lou.” His eyes drifted down. “Is the cat joining us?”

 

“Charles goes where I go.”

 

“Right…” He sighed and shook his head. “Fine. The cat can come.”

 

“I don’t recall asking for your permission.” Holding Charles closer to his chest, Lou started walking to the train station.

 

“Oh, he’s going to be a delight,” Nik hissed to Damen. Damen elbowed him in the side in response.

 

“Are you two coming?” Damen quickly made his way to Lou’s side and wrapped his free arm around Lou’s shoulders.

 

“First,” he said. “We need to make a quick stop.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

“What happened in Arles?” Lou mumbled. Damen jumped in surprise and looked at the man next to him. Lou had been so quiet that the con artist believed he was asleep. Lou’s head was pressed against the glass of the window. Damen saw him close his eyes and take a gentle breath. He was still adjusting to the situation; Damen knew very well that he was. He couldn’t blame him either.

 

“When?” Damen asked. Lou traced a shape into his leg with his finger in an attempt to keep himself relaxed.

 

“You know when. You said that the crown prince was the only known living member of the royal family. There was five people in that portrait. What happened to the other four?”

 

“You’re playing the part of the younger son. No one knows what happened to him.” Damen sighed and leaned back in his seat. Nikandros sat across from him, fast asleep. Charles was curled up on his thigh and purring lightly. “It all depends on who you ask. Nikandros and I arrived a few months after the revolution so everything we know is from the rumors that we’ve heard. About ten years ago, Arles was throwing a celebration to see off the crown prince who was leaving Vere to meet his Patran fiancee. Nearing the end of the night, the Regent of Vere made in appearance. He had been banished to Vask for practicing black magic and threatening to use it to attack King Theomedes of Akielos. He came back and King Aleron ordered for his execution. That’s when the Regent cursed the royal family. Not long after, the people attacked the palace. King Aleron and Queen Hennike were executed and Prince Auguste was separated from his brother when they tried to escape. Since then, Auguste has refused to return to Vere until he’s reunited with his brother.”

 

“And his fiancee?”

 

“Some say that he became so distant that she left and took their child with her. Others say that she died during childbirth. The prince has hid himself away and only speaks to his royal advisor and a young man named Nicaise. You’ll meet him soon.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“The prince raised Nicaise as his brother. He was also there the night of the attack. He was a child, but he knows everything that happened. We wouldn’t be the first people who tried to reunite the crown prince with his younger brother. The supposed Prince Laurents are to meet with Nicaise who will ask them questions about the royal family and Vere. Those who pass his test are then sent to Prince Auguste himself who will then decide if the man he is speaking with is his brother.”

 

“Let me just ask you something.” Lou turned his head and faced Damen. He closed his eyes for a small moment. “Say that we’re called out on this.”

 

“Like I said, we wouldn’t be the first. There are some people who very well may actually believe that they are bringing the lost prince of Vere to Prince Auguste. No one has ever been executed or imprisoned.”

 

“And say that I convince the prince and he believes me. I’ll be lying to him for the rest of our lives. He’ll genuinely believe that he has his little brother back when I’m actually a fraud. Doesn’t he deserve a little better than that?” Damen let out a hum and a small smile grew on his lips.

 

“Call me crazy, but I genuinely believe that you are the lost prince.” Lou snorted. “I do. Every piece of the puzzle fits and you do look like the crown prince. The resemblance is striking. We just need to convince Nicaise.” Lou just shook his head.

 

“I know very little about Vere. The man I was staying with showed me where the capital was and told me about traditions, but mostly just taught me about medicine.”

 

“Which is what Nikandros and I are for. Until we arrive at Patras, we are going to teach you how to act like a prince.” Damen looked down at Lou’s crossed legs and pushed the dangling leg onto the floor. “Starting by sitting like one.” Lou let out a huff and pursed his lips, resting his head on his fist.

 

“I hate sitting around this long. My legs are starting to hurt.”

 

“Then go walk around if you would like. Just don’t draw attention to yourself.” Lou waved his hand and walked out of the cabin. Nikandros woke up just as the door closed. Charles stood up, stretched, and curled back onto Nik’s thigh.

 

“He’s a charmer,” Nik mumbled, stretching his arms and yawning.

 

“He’s the best chance that we have,” Damen sighed. “You can’t look at him and not see the crown prince. They’re almost identical.”

 

“You met the crown prince when he was around Lou’s age, didn’t you?” Damen nodded.

 

“He was a bit younger, but yes.They look very similar. Lou even speaks like a prince.”

 

“So say that he actually is the prince.” Nik leaned forward, careful not to wake the sleeping cat. “Say we got lucky and just so happened to run into the lost prince of Vere.” Damen shrugged, looking over at the door.

 

“Then the crown prince will be more than happy to help us take back Akielos.”

 

“We have Lou playing the part of Prince Laurent. How is he going to feel if he learns that he’s actually royalty?” Damen’s answer was cut off by Lou walking back into the cabin.

 

“You weren’t gone long.” 

 

“I got sent back by the soldiers. They’re checking tickets and passports.” Nikandros and Damen both swore and began collecting their belongings. “Is there a problem with our tickets?”

 

“Of course not. We just need to move to another part of the train.” A smirk grew on Lou’s lips.

 

“So your charm doesn’t always work? And here I thought you could do anything.” Damen tossed a bag into Lou’s arms and pushed him out of the cabin. 

 

“We’ll be safe in the luggage car.” Lou lead the group while Nikandros covered them from behind. Damen kept a hand on Lou’s shoulder as they walked to the back of the train. The blonde kept a small smile on his lips, concocting a plan. 

 

“How far are the soldiers behind us?” he whispered, pressing his back against Damen. Damen’s breath hitched, causing Lou’s smirk to grow. 

 

“They’re three cabins behind ours. Why?”

 

“Tell Nikandros to go ahead of us. The guards have already seen my face. They’re going to be looking for me. On my signal, follow me into the last cabin.”

 

“What are you planning?” Lou turned his head and gave Damen a wink.

 

“Just trust me. The last cabin is empty.” Nikandros pushed ahead of them, glancing at Damen as he passed by. Lou waited until he saw the luggage car door close before he opened the cabin door and pressed his back against the wall. Damen followed him in and closed the door.

 

“So what’s your plan?” Damen sat down and leaned back in the seat. Lou pulled his hair back and tied it with a ribbon. He crossed the cabin until he was in front of Damen. The con artist looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. Lou bit his bottom lip, looking between Damen and the door. Before Damen could say anything, he moved. In one quick movement, Lou straddled Damen’s lap and pressed his hands against the wall on either side of Damen’s head. Damen’s breath caught in his throat. He certainly hadn’t expected that.

 

“Are you uncomfortable with this?” Lou’s question was sincere. Damen couldn’t deny that Lou was absolutely gorgeous. It was awkward and unexpected, but Damen didn’t mind it. Their faces were close enough that Damen could see how blue Lou’s eyes actually were. They were almost mesmerizing. Damen swallowed the knot in his throat and maintained eye contact. The two of them were in this together. There needed to be some trust between them

 

“This is fine,” Damen whispered back. He didn’t know where to put his hands. They sat lazily at his side while Lou’s were still pressed against the wall. He didn’t want to risk making things more awkward than they already were. 

 

“Put one hand on my neck and the other on my hip,” Lou ordered. 

 

The door suddenly opened and Lou moved quickly, pressing his lips against Damen’s. He ran his fingers through Damen’s hair, pulling him closer. Damen closed his eyes and kissed him back. Lou had a faint taste of mint on his tongue from the candy he had been eating. It wasn’t the first time that Damen had kissed someone but it clearly was for Lou. He wasn’t the worst, but he was still inexperienced. Damen ignored the pain from Lou biting his lip a little too hard and focused on running his fingers through his hair. Lou pressed their bodies together until every part of them was touching and pulled away from the kiss, tilting his head back. Damen, understanding what Lou wanted him to do, pressed his lips against soft pale skin. Lou let out a soft gasp that Damen hadn’t expected. He dragged his lips along Lou’s skin before gently biting a spot underneath his ear.

 

“My apologies, gentlemen,” Lou purred. “It appears that you’ve caught us at a bad time. Is there something that you need?” Out of the corner of his eye, Damen could see the soldiers backing away in embarrassment. He looked back down at his neck and sucked another mark into it. Lou’s skin bruised easier than any of Damen’s previous lovers.

 

“Of course not,” one of them coughed out. “Enjoy the rest of your trip.” The door closed and Lou immediately pulled himself off of Damen’s lap. He put his scarf back on before moving to the door, pressing his ear against it. Damen took a deep breath and pulled himself to his feet, trying to catch his breath. He didn’t know what Lou’s plan was, but he certainly hadn’t expected to make out with him. Before Damen could ask what that had been, Lou opened the door and walked out. Damen quickly followed him out, closing the door to the luggage car behind him. Nik leaned against the side of the car while Charles tangled himself in a net. Lou picked him up and sat on one of the larger boxes.

 

“What happened to the two of you?” Nik asked, eyeing Damen who couldn’t even look at Lou.

 

“We got the soldiers off of our track,” Lou answered as he kissed the top of Charles’ head. “We’ll be fine until the train stops, won’t we?”

 

“Yes,” Damen finally said. “We’ll have to get out before the train stops and people come to get their belongings. But for now,” he slid onto the ground and pulled a map out of his pocket. “Let’s figure out where we need to go. We should be passing through Barbin soon. The train is stopping near the border where…” Damen looked at the map again and swore. Lou raised a curious eyebrow.

 

“We can’t cross the border,” Nik said, answering the question Lou hadn’t asked. “Akielos is being ruled by a tyrant and no one can cross the border without permission from the king. Permission we don’t have.”

 

“Arran should have a port. We can take a boat and go around Akielos. It’ll take us longer but we’ll get there alive.” Lou opened his mouth to say, but was stopped by a loud crash coming from behind the door. The three men looked at each other before Nik walked over to see what the cause was. Just as he grabbed the handle, the entire car shook, causing Lou to fall. Charles jumped out of his arms before he fell and ran to the other side of the car. Damen helped the blonde to his feet and looked over at his friend who had opened the door and was staring at nothing but snow.

 

“What happened to the rest of the train?” Lou asked, still holding onto Damen’s arm. The car was still moving at the same speed, but the rest of the train was nowhere to be seen.

 

“We have to get off,” Damen replied. Just as Nik turned away from the door, it slammed opened, breaking it off of its hinges and sending Nik flying into the wall. A man stood where the door had been, a sword in hand and a dark look on his face. His right eye was scarred and black. He wore a twisted smirk.

 

“Your Highness,” he growled, looking straight at Lou who shivered under his gaze. “What a pleasure to see you again.” Damen quickly slid in front Lou and stared the man down. “Your precious little con artist isn’t going to stop my sword from slitting your throat.”

 

“Lou, who is this?” Lou was pale, more so than usual. It was clear to Damen that he didn’t know who this man was.

 

“Out of the way, Akielon. Or should I cut you down with him?”

 

“Lou, get back.” Before he could begin to move, Damen was tackled to the ground. He quickly rolled out of the way and looked up at the man who was advancing on Lou. Damen jumped to his feet and wrapped his arm around the man’s throat, choking him while Lou grabbed his sword. “Do you know how to use that?” Lou shook his head. He looked between it and Damen before throwing it to the other side of the car. The man snarled and elbowed Damen in the stomach. It was hard enough to knock the breath out of him, but not enough to make him back away. Damen slammed the man onto his knees and kept him there, still trying to cut off his air flow. The man instead slammed his head into Damen’s, causing the Akielon to fall onto his back. He kneeled above Damen and wrapped his hands around his throat. Damen dug his nails into the man’s skin with no avail.

 

“Come watch your hero die, Your Highness.” He glared into Damen’s eyes. “Was it worth it? Was protecting him worth your own life?” Damen gave him a hard glare, feeling a growl escape his throat. “I’m going to slit that pretty throat of his. Why bring him back alive when I could just finish the job here?” Just as Damen began to see dark spots in his vision, the grip on his throat loosened and the man fell next to him. Lou stood above him, holding a large suitcase. Damen rubbed his throat and silently thanked him.

 

“He won’t be out for long,” Lou said, dropping the suitcase. “We have to go.”

 

“Shit!” Nik yelled out. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Damen yelled back as Lou helped him to his feet. They ran to the front of the car and saw what had caused Nik’s panic. The track was broken; the bridge connecting Barbin and Toutaine was falling apart in front of them, leaving a hole in the middle of the structure. The car hadn’t slowed down and there was no possible way that they would safely cross it. 

 

Damen grabbed Lou’s arm and dragged him away from the door, running to the other side of the car.

 

“We have to jump,” he called out to Nik. Damen gathered their bags as quickly as he could. The man who attacked them still laid unconscious on the floor, causing Lou to stop in his tracks. Damen turned to him. “Lou, we have to go.”

 

“We can’t just leave him,” Lou replied. “He’s still a human being.”

 

“Whatever he is, it’s not human. He tried to kill you.”

 

“I know he did, but…” Damen grabbed Lou’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

 

“In any other event, I would be willing to save him, but right now, we can’t. He’ll either freeze to death in the snow or die in the crash. Either way, he’s not coming with us. We don’t have a lot of time, Lou.” Lou looked down at the unconscious man and closed his eyes.

 

“Fine.” Lou picked up Charles and followed Damen to the back door. Damen threw the larger bags into the snow before turning to the pair.

 

“We’ll jump at my call. Ready?” Nik and Lou both nodded. “Three, two, one. Jump!” Nik jumped out first, rolling as he landed in the snow. Lou prepared to jump but collapsed to the floor instead. Blood stained his pants as a dagger dug into his calf. Damen turned and saw the man who had attacked them dragging himself on the ground. He pushed the dagger deeper into Lou’s leg and began to pull himself up, putting more pressure on the injury. Damen quickly kicked the man in the head, causing him to loosen his grip on his weapon and pulled the dagger away. Lou gripped his leg, letting out a sob of pain as blood dripped through his fingers. With no time to come up with another plan, Damen wrapped a tight arm around Lou’s waist and jumped out of the train, holding the blonde close to him and taking the blunt of the fall. The two laid in the snow, waiting for their breath to calm. There was a faint crash as the train fell off of the tracks but that wasn’t Damen’s main concern. He quickly pulled his scarf off and wrapped it around Lou’s leg. Lou let out a gasp, digging his nails into Damen’s arm. 

 

“What happened?” Nik asked, crawling over to them.

 

“He was stabbed.” Damen dug through the bags to find an actual bandage.

 

“In my satchel,” Lou hissed, burying his face into Damen’s shoulder. “There should be a salve and some bandages.” Damen found a small jar wrapped in some cloth.

 

“I’ll start a fire,” Nik said, starting to clear away snow. “We won’t be getting anywhere tonight, not with his leg like that.”

 

“We’ll stay here for tonight then,” Damen sighed. “We can’t stay for long. Lou, give me your leg.”

***

Lou was going to have to that Paschal the next time they saw each other. The salve and the bandages were given to him as a precaution; he didn’t think he was actually going to use them. He gently ran his fingers along the bandage Damen had put over the stab wound. Arguably, he had done a good job; much better than Lou himself could have done.

 

Nik and Damen had fallen asleep some time ago. Whether it was because of the pain in his leg or the events of that day still running through his head, Lou wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it prevented Lou from falling asleep. He was tired, drained if anything, but he couldn’t sleep.

 

That man knew him. He knew who Lou was and wanted him dead. He had gotten close too. If it hadn’t been for Damen…

 

Lou put a small amount of pressure on his leg and let out a hiss. Even if he wanted to keep traveling alone, he wouldn’t get far on an injured leg, especially if someone else came after him. Lou knew how to defend himself with his hands just fine, doing small jobs for Paschal had helped him with that, but Lou wouldn’t know where to start when given a weapon. When he took the sword, he had Damen’s wellbeing in mind. Nik said that the two of them had been soldiers in Akielos. Maybe if Lou asked nicely, Damen would teach him how to defend himself. 

 

Lou was staring at the fire when Damen let out a small groan and sat up.

 

“You’re still awake,” he mumbled, tiredly. Lou gave him a small smile and looked back at the ground.

 

“I can’t sleep,” Lou whispered back.

 

“You should try. We have a lot more ground to cover tomorrow. You didn’t eat a lot either.” Lou didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say. Damen stared at him for a moment before beginning to unbutton his jacket.

 

“What are you doing? You’re going to freeze.”

 

“You’ll freeze before I do.” Damen guestered down at Lou’s leg that was bare from the knee down so the wound could properly be cleaned. He draped his jacket over Lou’s legs. “Try to get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

 

“How are you feeling?” Lou ran a finger along Damen’s collar bone. “He could have killed you.”

 

“My mission is to get you to Patras by any means necessary. If that means risking my life to save you, so be it.” Lou looked at him in surprise. Instead of arguing further, Lou leaned up and gently kissed Damen’s cheek before laying down on his makeshift cot.

 

“Thank you, Damen.”

 


End file.
